• Goals and objectives/outcomes of the research investigation
Increase parental involvement on our campus to positively affect student achievement.
• Activities designed to achieve the objectives
1. Effective involvement of parents in classroom work: Create a program where students have homework activities that must be done with their parents. It is not necessary for the parents to know how to do the work; that’s the students’ job. It is necessary for the students to explain to their parents what they are doing, why they are doing it and how it all works.
2. Monthly PTA and SBDM meetings
3. Meet the Teacher Night and Fall and Spring Interactive Open House events
4. Parent volunteer and training program
• Resources and research tools needed for data gathering
1. Teacher involvement and participation; materials for the homework activities that students will do at home with their parents.
2. Access to auditorium; letters/emails/phone calls to remind parents about meetings; cooperation and help from all departments in bringing student work or student presentations to the meetings for parents to see.
3. Activities, performances and student work must be available and planned for the Open House events. We’ll need everyone in attendance.
4. Goals and training program to be presented to parent volunteers; access to computers to complete background check; snacks for meeting.
• Draft timeline for completion or implementation of activities
1. Involvement of parents with student homework all year
2. PTA and SBDM meetings will be held on a monthly basis so that concerns can be addressed and items can be communicated in a timely manner.
3. Meet the Teacher Night and Open House events three times throughout the year: September, November and April.
4. Volunteer parent training program in September.
• Persons responsible for implementation of the action research plan
Principal, counselor, all teachers, students
• Process for monitoring the achievement of goals and objectives
1. Record attendance at meetings; keep track of PTA membership and record participation rate; ask parents and teachers for feedback on how to best address campus and student needs.
2. Keep track of participation rates of attendees; survey students and parents and teachers about what went well and what could’ve been done differently.
• Assessment instrument(s) to evaluate the effectiveness of the action research study
1. Monitor student class work every three weeks to determine whether or not their grades are improving.
2. Survey parent participants and teacher leaders as to what worked and what needed to be included for volunteer training to be more successful.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Action Research Plan
• Goals and objectives/outcomes of the research investigation
Increase parental involvement on our campus to positively affect student achievement and improve parental communication.
• Activities designed to achieve the objectives
Parent Academy (Fall and Spring)
Monthly PTA and SBDM meetings
Effective involvement of parents in classroom work: Create a program where students have homework activities that must be done with their parents. It is not necessary for the parents to know how to do the work; that’s the students’ job. It is necessary for the students to explain to their parents what they are doing, why they are doing it and how it all works.
Meet the Teacher Night and Fall and Spring Interactive Open House events
Parent volunteer and training program
• Resources and research tools needed for data gathering
Identify areas of most need that will increase parent involvement on the campus. Counselor will organize and facilitate the Parent Academy. We will need at least five teachers to help and snacks for the event.
Access to auditorium; letters/emails/phone calls to remind parents about meetings; cooperation and help from all departments in bringing student work or student presentations to the meetings for parents to see.
Teacher involvement and participation; materials for the homework activities that students will do at home with their parents.
Activities, performances and student work must be available and planned for the Open House events. We’ll need everyone in attendance.
Goals and training program to be presented to parent volunteers; access to computers to complete background check; snacks for meeting.
• Draft timeline for completion or implementation of activities
Parent Academy will be held in September and March
PTA and SBDM meetings will be held on a monthly basis so that concerns can be addressed and items can be communicated in a timely manner.
Involvement of parents with student homework all year
Meet the Teacher Night and Open House events three times throughout the year: September, November and April.
Volunteer parent training program in September.
• Persons responsible for implementation of the action research plan
Principal, counselor, all teachers, students
• Process for monitoring the achievement of goals and objectives
Survey parents on the effectiveness of the program. What did they learn? What do they want to learn more about?
Record attendance at meetings; keep track of PTA membership and record participation rate; ask parents and teachers for feedback on how to best address campus and student needs.
Keep track of participation rates of attendees; survey students and parents and teachers about what went well and what could’ve been done differently.
• Assessment instrument(s) to evaluate the effectiveness of the action research study
Monitor student work on a regular basis and evaluate whether or not their grades are improving.
Survey parent participants and teacher leaders as to what worked and what needed to be included for training to be more successful.
Increase parental involvement on our campus to positively affect student achievement and improve parental communication.
• Activities designed to achieve the objectives
Parent Academy (Fall and Spring)
Monthly PTA and SBDM meetings
Effective involvement of parents in classroom work: Create a program where students have homework activities that must be done with their parents. It is not necessary for the parents to know how to do the work; that’s the students’ job. It is necessary for the students to explain to their parents what they are doing, why they are doing it and how it all works.
Meet the Teacher Night and Fall and Spring Interactive Open House events
Parent volunteer and training program
• Resources and research tools needed for data gathering
Identify areas of most need that will increase parent involvement on the campus. Counselor will organize and facilitate the Parent Academy. We will need at least five teachers to help and snacks for the event.
Access to auditorium; letters/emails/phone calls to remind parents about meetings; cooperation and help from all departments in bringing student work or student presentations to the meetings for parents to see.
Teacher involvement and participation; materials for the homework activities that students will do at home with their parents.
Activities, performances and student work must be available and planned for the Open House events. We’ll need everyone in attendance.
Goals and training program to be presented to parent volunteers; access to computers to complete background check; snacks for meeting.
• Draft timeline for completion or implementation of activities
Parent Academy will be held in September and March
PTA and SBDM meetings will be held on a monthly basis so that concerns can be addressed and items can be communicated in a timely manner.
Involvement of parents with student homework all year
Meet the Teacher Night and Open House events three times throughout the year: September, November and April.
Volunteer parent training program in September.
• Persons responsible for implementation of the action research plan
Principal, counselor, all teachers, students
• Process for monitoring the achievement of goals and objectives
Survey parents on the effectiveness of the program. What did they learn? What do they want to learn more about?
Record attendance at meetings; keep track of PTA membership and record participation rate; ask parents and teachers for feedback on how to best address campus and student needs.
Keep track of participation rates of attendees; survey students and parents and teachers about what went well and what could’ve been done differently.
• Assessment instrument(s) to evaluate the effectiveness of the action research study
Monitor student work on a regular basis and evaluate whether or not their grades are improving.
Survey parent participants and teacher leaders as to what worked and what needed to be included for training to be more successful.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Considerations for a Topic
Three possible topics for my action research project:
1. How can I improve parent involvement on our campus and use more effective means of communication with parents/legal guardians?
2. In what ways are in-school suspensions as a consequence for discipline referrals affecting student performance?
3. How do I use learning communities as a tool for teachers and myself in the transformation of the writing curriculum at our school?
Describe conference with site supervisor:
I have not yet had a conference with my site supervisor. In fact, I am currently site supervisor-less. My principal has apparently taken a job at another district. He hasn’t contacted me with this information yet; I heard it from someone else on my campus. And since we only have a principal (no assistant or associate), I am at a loss for finding someone on my campus who is an administrator right now. Any suggestions for what I should do?
Describe the topic agreed upon for the action research project:
I’d like to do my action research project on either increasing parental involvement or writing across the curriculum.
1. How can I improve parent involvement on our campus and use more effective means of communication with parents/legal guardians?
2. In what ways are in-school suspensions as a consequence for discipline referrals affecting student performance?
3. How do I use learning communities as a tool for teachers and myself in the transformation of the writing curriculum at our school?
Describe conference with site supervisor:
I have not yet had a conference with my site supervisor. In fact, I am currently site supervisor-less. My principal has apparently taken a job at another district. He hasn’t contacted me with this information yet; I heard it from someone else on my campus. And since we only have a principal (no assistant or associate), I am at a loss for finding someone on my campus who is an administrator right now. Any suggestions for what I should do?
Describe the topic agreed upon for the action research project:
I’d like to do my action research project on either increasing parental involvement or writing across the curriculum.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Educational Leaders Make Good Use of Blogs
Blogging is a valuable tool for educators. These online postings of professional thoughts, questions and experiences give individual practitioners the opportunity to reflect about issues that are important to them. Blogging also provides a forum where others can post comments, offer insight, collaborate and provide support. Blogging allows professionals to share research and knowledge with colleagues they might not have otherwise known. Rather than just relying on what is available in their district or on their campus, educational administrators who blog have a wealth of resources at their fingertips.
What is action research?
First and foremost, action research is intended to bring about change. Action research focuses on the concerns of the practitioners themselves as opposed to university researchers, for example. It's more of an insider's look at an issue and engages these insiders in the design, data collection, interpretation and reflection of their focus. (Dana, 2009)
Action research can also be described as the study of one's own professional practice. These professionals seek change by reflecting on their practice. They create a focus question that describes an issue of concern; they collect data that is relevant to their focus question; they analyze the data and conduct additional research; they make changes based on these findings; and they reflect on these changes and the results of their actions.
Action research is a process that, if practiced correctly, is continuous. According to Donnan Stoicovy, principal at Park Forest Elementary School, action research "is the process of creating and re-creating my school, my life and my practice a questions at a time." (Dana, 2009)
I like how action research is a practical approach to professional and campus improvement. It is interactive because participants must work together to implement the desired change. And it's fueled by student and teacher need; in other words, it's an individualized approach to a particular campus' requirements.
Action research is an important tool for any professional. I believe that I can use this skill to always be looking at how I can improve my professional approach and my campus. Through reflection, I will be better able to examine what's working and what's not working. Through collaboration, I can grow as an individual and participate in a true learning community. And through studying data, I will have direction and focus.
Resources
Fichman, Nancy Dana (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action Researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
Action research can also be described as the study of one's own professional practice. These professionals seek change by reflecting on their practice. They create a focus question that describes an issue of concern; they collect data that is relevant to their focus question; they analyze the data and conduct additional research; they make changes based on these findings; and they reflect on these changes and the results of their actions.
Action research is a process that, if practiced correctly, is continuous. According to Donnan Stoicovy, principal at Park Forest Elementary School, action research "is the process of creating and re-creating my school, my life and my practice a questions at a time." (Dana, 2009)
I like how action research is a practical approach to professional and campus improvement. It is interactive because participants must work together to implement the desired change. And it's fueled by student and teacher need; in other words, it's an individualized approach to a particular campus' requirements.
Action research is an important tool for any professional. I believe that I can use this skill to always be looking at how I can improve my professional approach and my campus. Through reflection, I will be better able to examine what's working and what's not working. Through collaboration, I can grow as an individual and participate in a true learning community. And through studying data, I will have direction and focus.
Resources
Fichman, Nancy Dana (2009). Leading with passion and knowledge: The principal as action Researcher. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
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